The Great Equalizer
A long time ago, in the early days of my poker career, circa 2004, I remember when I just learned how to consistently beat low limit sit-n-gos. I clearly recall thinking to myself that I finally knew hoe to play every single hand, except one, pocket jacks from early position. Could I have been more wrong?
The game is so simple on the surface, yet it’s exceedingly complex. People could play for years before they even realize how little they actually know about poker. It would take half a decade of play before they could learn to consistently beat decent-sized live games. Even with all of those hours, it’s an endeavor most players will never achieve. Since the game takes so much experience, new players are at an enormous disadvantage. How can they dream of catching up to their veteran peers?
Online poker is The Great Equalizer. Never before in the history of the game has a player been able to get so much experience in so little time. Sitting at just a single table on the internet results in seeing double or triple the number of hands that would have been seen playing live.
In addition, the constant availability of games provides a phenomenal “anytime” learning environment. The array of tables is staggering. A player can sit at a game for pennies or tens of thousands of dollars or at any stake in between, allowing incredibly slow and steady incremental growth without forcing large jumps in levels. And there are many games accessible that are almost never found in casinos. Shorthanded and heads-up games allow you to practice skill sets that would otherwise be extremely tough to learn.
Improving as a live player is very difficult. You don’t see that many hands and it’s really challenging to learn from your mistakes. Unless you’re taking detailed notes at the table, it’s unlikely that you will even remember key hands correctly in order to review them later. The killer feature of online poker is its tracking capabilities. Programs like Poker Tracker and Poker Office will seamlessly log your play. Once set up, they allow you to replay any hand you’ve ever played. They help you to sort through and filter your results, providing you with extraordinary data that can be used to plug leaks in your game and optimize your results.
Online poker provides tremendous benefits to you as a player, but you still have to take full advantage of those benefits. Most people like the idea of becoming good at poker, but at heart they just want to play. So they always spend their time playing, rather than learning to play better. Just because you play every day doesn’t mean you’re going to improve. You have to take playing poker seriously.
When you play online, really focus on playing your “A” game. Eliminate distractions. Turn off your TV, instant messenger, cell phone, and music. Create an environment conducive to success. Concentrate on learning from your mistakes by reviewing your hands and constantly pushing yourself to improve. Remember: Good players spend time learning the game, but great players never stop learning.
“Nicky Numbers” is a top internet
poker pro, instructor for WPT Boot Camp,
and a private coach. To learn more visit
www.wptbootcamp.com or contact him at
NickBrancato@gmail.com.
